Architecture In Helsinki “Debbie”

Hello indie rock video enthusiasts! It’s Andy Gesner and the staff from HIP Video Promo bringing you a new clip from one of our most cherished clients. A few months ago, when we sent you the clip for “Heart It Races” by Architecture In Helsinki, it was our suspicion that the calypso-synthpop single heralded a bold new direction for the indie favorites. This was before the new album had been released; we’d only heard rumors about a nonstop party on record, about wild instrumentation and Eighties-inspired pop, think synth basslines, horn arrangements, and impassioned, over-the-top performances by frontman Cameron Bird. He’d moved from Melbourne to New York City and steeped himself in the local musical culture, drawing inspiration from club music, hip-hop, and the rock underground. “Heart It Races” certainly promised greatness: few contemporary indiepop songs are anywhere as direct, and almost none approach its danceability.

Still, we totally were unprepared for Places Like This – one of the most distinctive and accomplished albums of 2007, and just about the wildest ride a modern pop fan can take. Jammed into this ten-track CD: soul, reggae, Prince-style computer-funk, Tom Tom Club grooviness, new wave revival, Afropop, riots of brass, and much more. Architecture In Helsinki has always had a reputation as a freewheeling collection of musicians, and that spontaneity and anything-goes attitude is certainly preserved here. But fans of Fingers Crossed and In Case We Die may be pleasantly surprised at how tight this band of wild individualists has gotten. Years of touring around the world and sharing stages with artists like David Byrne, Belle & Sebastian, and Yo La Tengo can do that to a group. And this year, AIH’s persistence and enthusiasm has translated into commercial success – Places Like This made its debut in the Australian Top 40.

Debbie”, the latest single, is a joyous blast of dance-pop with an irresistible chorus, an exuberantly funky bass line, and a horn arrangement straight from the golden age of MTV. Cameron Bird wails the song out with newfound conviction – he’s added some real rock and roll grit to one of the most distinctive voices in modern indie. A song so explosive deserves some pyrotechnics in its video, and to make that happen, Architecture in Helsinki has brought in Andy “Three Fingers” Davis to handle the fire and smoke. But in keeping with the band’s idiosyncratic ethos, the clip for “Debbie” focuses more on the pyrotechnician character than it does on any of his effects (think of it as a Spinal Tap-esque mockumentary). Josh Logue’s hilarious video is a backstage pass to the making of the new Architecture In Helsinki spot – and we see the band through the eyes of the friendly smoke-bomber.

Maybe a little too friendly. He lectures the group on proper explosives technique, gets in the way of the shooting, throws dice with the guitar player, and even attempts to pick up one of the members of the band (she turns him down.) Some of his stunts go awry: he nearly blows up Cameron Bird, and must rush to the stage to put out a fire. But he’s an affable character – bearded and decked out in a yellow safety suit and red earmuffs – and his enthusiasm for dynamite fits the track. Meanwhile, the band dances away on the white soundstage, oblivious to the columns of smoke, animated by the manic music they’ve created.

We’re very excited to be working once again with our pals at Polyvinyl Records to bring you this in demand new clip, just in time for the band to begin their long awaited US tour. If you would like to catch up with the band for a quick video interview when they come to your town, or even get your hands on a few copies of Places Like This for your on-air giveaway needs, please drop us a line! If you need more info, call Andy Gesner at 732-613-1779 or e-mail us at [email protected]. You can also visit www.PolyvinylRecords.com or www.ArchitectureInHelsinki.com to find out more about Architecture In Helsinki.

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For info about Architecture In Helsinki’s “Heart It Races” video, click HERE

HIP Video Promo owner and president Andy Gesner recently sat down with Jesse Cannon from Musformation.com for an in-depth interview about the importance of music video promotion, as well as with James Moore from IndependentMusicPromotions.com. These two interviews go into great depth about who we are, what we do, and how HIP Video Promo can provide you the exposure and attention your new music video deserves!

Who we are

HIP Video Promo was founded in the year 2000 by it’s current owner Andy Gesner, and over the past 17 years, he and his team have promoted over 2700 music videos from some of the best of the best amongst indie nation, as well as some of the most well-known artists on the music industry landscape. Everybody who works at HIP Video Promo are musicians themselves, and are fully cognizant of what it’s like to be in the trenches fighting the good fight in this severely overcrowded music industry. We know what it takes to get the attention and exposure any new compelling band or artist is worthy of, and fight tenaciously on our client’s behalf.